Modeling of the transport of explosive related compounds in soil

The transport of Explosive Related Compounds (ERCs) has been studied as part of a research program aiming to the development of chemical sensors for detecting landmines. TNT and its degradation products typically make up the explosive charge in buried mines. The spatial and temporal distribution of concentrations of ERCs depends primarily on the mobility of the water phase since the main chemicals are transported through the liquid phase of the soil (water). This work presents an analytical approach to the description of the transport process. The model is based on the conservation equations applied to the vadose zone and predicts the concentration profiles of water and ERCs as a function of time. Techniques, such as linearization, variable transformations, and perturbation analysis are used in the development of the model. Results agree with experiments and numerical simulations previously reported.